Same place



(No Model.)

J. KASSGHATL SHOE STRING FASTENER.

No. 542,413. Patented 11113 79, 1895.

v wvg/yr o/r dawmm UNITED STATES JACOB KASSCHAU, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SAME PLACE.

PATENT OFF- ca.

ROUSSEAU & co, or

SHOE- STRING FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 542,413, dated July 9, 1895.

Application filed November 20,1894. fierial No..529,37-fl- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, JACOB KASSCHAU, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Shoe-String Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved shoestring fastener of that class by which the ends of the shoe-strings are firmly retained in position without being tied together, and

' which can be readily released whenever it is desired to remove the shoe; and the inven-- tion consists of a shoe-string fastener composed of abase-plate provided with means for attachment to the upper of the shoe, 2. box-shaped portion bent up from said baseplate, a bent-up top flange converging toward one side wall. of the box-shaped portion, and a roller in said box-shaped portion between which and the top flange the end of the shoestring is inserted, so as to be clamped between these parts by the inward strain exerted on the end of the string.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view showing my shoe-string fastener in position for use. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the fastener on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 i, Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a top view of the blank from which the fastener is made.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. p I

Referring to the drawings, A represents my improved shoe-strin fastener, which is composed of a base-plat a, provided with eyes a at both ends, which are attached by means of eyelets e, that are clinched to the upper of the shoe near the upper front part of the same. Fro'ni'the base-plate a. is bent up a boxshaped portion, which is of slightly greater height at one end than at the end nearer to the shoe-string. Said box portion is composed of side walls a a, bent up at an angle to'each other, and of end walls or. Above the box portion is arranged a bent-up flange a which flange converges toward the side wall a of the box portion. In the box portion is arranged a cylindrical roller 17, the diameter of the roller and the arrangement of the parts being such that the roller cannot drop out in whatever position the fastener may be placed. When the roller is moved into the lower end of the boxshaped portion, it touches the lower edge of the bent-up flange a.

When the shoe-string s is to be inserted into the fastener, the same is introduced between the roller and the bent-up flange o the roller being, owing to the slight inclination given to the box-shaped portion when placing the fastener in position, at the higher end of the bent-up flange. By the strain exerted by the foot on the shoe-string the end of the string inserted between the roller and the converging flange pulls the roller forward, so that the string is clamped between the same and the converging flange in such a manner that the greater the strain the more tightly will the shoe-string be wedged between the roller and the converging flange.

When it is desired to unfasten the string, the end is pulled forward so as to be released from the clamping action of the roller and the converging flange, so that the string, can be readily unloosened and the shoe removed. The base-plate, with its eyes, the box-shaped portion, and the bent-up converging flange are all stamped up from the blank shownin Fig. 5, which is done by means of suitable dies. The roller is cut off from a cylindrical metal-rod of suitable diameter, so that the fastener can be manufactured at a small expense, while forming'a very effective retaining device for the ends of shoe-strings and obviating the tedious tying of the strings.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A shoe-string fastener, composed of base-plate, a box-shaped portion'prcjecting' from the lower part of the base-plate, said shaped portion being higher at one end than at the other, a bent-up flange above the box.- shaped portion, converging toward the lower end of the same, a roller placed in the boxshaped portion, and being of such diameter that it is prevented from passing out of the space between the box-shaped portion and the converging flangeand means for attaching the base-plate to theshoe-upper,substantially as set forth.

2. A shoe-string fastener, composed of-a base-plate, provided with eyes air-its ends, out from the space between the box-shaped means for fastening said eye-shaped ends to portion and the converging flangqsubstanthe upper, a box-shaped portion projecting tially as set forth. 7 from the lower part of said base-plate, said In testimony that I claim the foregoing as :5 5 box-shaped portion being higher at the outer my invention I have signed my name in presend than at the end near the string, a bentrence of two subscribing witnesses. up converging flange above the boxshaped v portion, converging toward the lower end of JACOB KASSCHAU; said box-shaped portion, and a roller placed Witnessesf 10 in said box-shaped portion and being of such THOMAS M. ROWLETTE, diameter that it is prevented from passing GEORGE W. JAEKEL. 

